Theodor G. Mattson donated the Wooden Lath to the Augustana Historical Museum in 1942. John O. Viking sent former Augustana College librarian, Ira O. Nothstein, the three Ojibway stone hide scrapers in 1949. Arnold H. Nelson sent the sample of Håkan Olson’s snap for a buggy harness to Nothstein in 1951. The plaque of Old Main in the reading room was a gift of Mrs. Lael Erickson in 1975. The Illinois State Flag was given to Augustana College ca. 1980 from the office of the Rock Island Centennial Bridge, where it had been stored since 1965. Prior to this location, the flag was owned by Morris E. Muhleman. The National Congress of American Indians Convention poster was a gift from Gertrude Eichstaedt in 1985. Dorothy Parkander, former Augustana English professor, donated President Conrad Bergendoff’s paperweights in 2005. The nail from the Augustana Book Concern building, the printing plate of Dr. Conrad Bergendoff's signature, and one of the ELCA Synod badges commemorating the 400th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation were all found in Glen Brolander's desk at an unknown date. The World War I band uniform was acquired in December 2012. The Augustana College medal showing Old Main was donated to the college in 1972. The Center for Student Life banner was donated in fall 2013 by the Office of Communication and Marketing. The Old Main keychain was donated by Rylee Hall of the Alumni Office in 2013. The football figurine was donated by Earl Sundin in 2013. All other materials in this collection have been acquired by library staff over time.

Prior to the compilation of this collection, many materials were housed in a filing cabinet in Special Collections. In 2010, they were processed and organized into a collective manuscript collection.

HISTORICAL NOTE

The materials in this collection represent a variety of important moments in Augustana College history and the history of the Quad Cities of Iowa-Illinois. For more historical information about Augustana College, refer to Augustana…A Profession of Faith: A History of Augustana College 1860-1935 by Conrad Bergendoff and Coming of Age: A History of Augustana College 1935-1975 by Thomas Tredway. For more historical information about the Quad Cities, refer to Quad Cities, Joined by a River edited by Frederick I. Anderson.

Historical Note on Illinois State Flag:

The Illinois State flag in this collection is one of twenty-five hand sewn flags that were commissioned by Governor Louis Emmerson, elected in 1929. He commissioned a lady from Petersburg, Illinois to sew them. Unfortunately, the flags would end up costing $75 each, which was more money than the rest of the State Senate was willing to pay for them; they cancelled the project. Although Emmerson had left office and passed away, this flag had been sent to the supply department in 1933, where they displayed it on important occasions. It was later gifted to Morris E. Muhleman (1915-1998), former Illinois State Senator, Mayor of Rock Island, Illinois, and Northern Zone Supervisor of State Parks and Memorials, by one of the ladies in the supply department. The gift commemorated Mushleman’s work in trying to get more flags displayed at state parks. The flag hung in the Rock Island City Hall from 1961 to 1965. In 1965, the flag moved to the office of the Centennial Bridge, where it was stored until 1980 when they delivered it to Augustana College Special Collections.

Historical Note on paperweights:

The paperweight with the deer engraving was a gift from John Deere Inc. to Dr. Conrad Bergendoff, sixth President of Augustana College, for his aid during the Mississippi River flood in the 1965. The paperweight with the three crowns was a gift from the King of Sweden to Dr. Conrad Bergendoff. Dr. Bergendoff gave these paperweights to Dr. Dorothy Parkander, former English professor at Augustana College.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The Realia collection dates from 1646-2005 in 35.5 linear feet and has been arranged in the following series:

Augustana-Related Realia, 1898-2005 and undated includes two subseries: Augustana College (1898 to 2005 and undated) and Reformation Personages (1916, 1930-1997). Augustana College includes various textiles and artifacts concerning Augustana College including objects from Homecoming, anniversaries, campus buildings, events on campus, and other miscellaneous items. Reformation Personages, includes commemorative items, such as coins, medals, and postage stamps, collected by Augustana College celebrating Martin Luther, Philipp Melanchthon, Thomas Muntzer, and the Augsburg Confession.

Quad City Area Realia, 1856-1999 and undated [bulk 1933-1998] includes materials and artifacts regarding events in the Quad Cities, the history of the Quad Cities, and the history of Native Americans in the Quad City Area. In addition, this series also includes a hand sewn 4.5’ x 5.5’ Illinois State Flag from ca. 1933 as well as two United States 50 star flags given to honor fallen soldiers and a Unites States 48 star flag.

Miscellaneous Realia, 1646-1984 and undated [bulk 1976-1984] includes materials that do not pertain to Augustana College or the Quad City Area such as a wooden lath, Ojibway stone hide scrapers, a buggy harness snap, a commemorative National Swedish Seal of Gothic King Eric, a Lion's Club statuette, reproductions of original proof engravings from the Charles E. Feinberg collection, commemorative stamps from 100th Anniversary of Karl Marx’s death and the Silbermann Organ, a stereoscope, and a Nazi flag.

SYSTEM OF ARRANGEMENT

The Realia collection has been organized chronologically within each series. Items added in and after 2012 have been listed chronologically but added to the end of the collection.

Reproduction of 1860 original proof engraving frontispiece of the third edition of Leaves of Grass from the Walt Whitman Collection of Charles E. Feinberg, undated Reproduction of 1871 original wood-engraving of a portrait by William J. Linton, from the Walt Whitman Collection of Charles E. Feinberg, undated Nazi Germany Flag, undated

Box 12 [oversize]

Quad City Area Realia, 1856-1999 and undated [bulk 1933-1999] (cont'd)

Illinois State Flag, ca. 1933

Box 13 [oversize]

Quad City Area Realia, 1856-1993 and undated [bulk 1933-1999] (cont'd)
United States 50 Star Flag in honor of Darrel L. Schafer, 1999